Muhammad Ikhsan Attaftazani

Weekly Response 1: Introduction About Religion

Does the definition about religion matter? In my opinion, the definition is not necessary to be
discussed. Arguing with the Aristotle’s theory about definition, I will criticize the term
definition. It was one of the problems of epistemology form Peripatetics. Definition is
necessary for someone who does not know about the thing. For instance, someone who
never seen a horse they need to know with the description of the horse. The definition
neither make them more understand nor satisfied, it will make someone more perplexed. I
agree with Suhrawardi, the Muslim philosopher that we do not need a definition of something
(Muslih, 2014: 58). If we show someone who never seen a horse in front of them and
witness by his own eyes, they will understand without any description about that. I will give
one more example, the famous stories of blind people who define an elephant. Those three
people come to the different definition about the elephant. The first people define that
elephant is a long animal because he touches the elephant’s trunk, and so on. Thus, I will
also apply in this course. Everyone who define something has a tendency from what they
experienced on their life. It concludes the definition about religion itself from Mark, Durkheim,
and other scholar will not represent what the religion is. The definition about religion will be
beneficial for give us the particular imagination about religion, not the essence of religion
(Livingstone, 1930). Nevertheless, it will be hard also to know something abstract like
religion that we discussed. Likewise, if we explain about the taste of mangosteen to one who
never taste it before, it will be hard. The only way to explain is try it or experienced
something by ourselves.
The next topic, I would ask how John L. Esposito, et.al (2018) came to the statement that
many religious people who learn the holy book tend to ignore the modern world? I will
examine the statement and will also explain what have been missed.
Students came away with maximum appreciation for the origins and development of
the classical traditions but a minimum awareness of the continued and dynamism
and relevance of religious tradition todays
The West dictate us—commonly the East—with the term of modernity and we should follow
their way. It seems that if we do not use their way will be consider as traditional or
fundamentalist. Not every part of religion must be change to modern way. Some religious
sects in every religion keep their original notion from the holy book to preserve the nature.
Then, we are facing the destruction of this world with the global warming because of the
development of industries in the modern era. Which is better, the religious people who
concern about classical tradition or the modern? It can be a reflection for us in this modern
era rethinking about the value in every aspect. Every option has the good and evil side.
Therefore the understanding about modernity might shift through decade and human will
always develop even though some people will insist with their way.
References
Esposito, John L. et. al. (2018). World Religions Today. New York: Oxford University Press.
Livingstone, James C. (1930). Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion. New
York: Macmillan.
Muslih, Muhammad. (2014). Logika Ketuhanan Dalam Epistemologi Illuminasi Suhrawardi.
Yogyakarta: LESFI (Lembaga Studi Filsafat Islam).